The Lake Placid High School class of 1963 recently gathered at South Florida State College’s (SFSC) Lake Placid Center to celebrate their 50th year reunion.

Out of the graduating class of 27 students, 23 attended the reunion on Saturday, June 8. Six of the students began their academic venture in 1951 at the Lake Placid School from kindergarten to the day they graduated from 12th grade in 1963. Classmates came from Indiana, California, Colorado, Arizona, Georgia, and all around Florida.

“We had a spectacular turnout, it was even more special that SFSC allowed us to walk the hallways, visit old classrooms, and reminisce on old memories,” said Sally Claire, a graduate of 1963 and reunion organizer.

Prior to the building of Lake Placid Elementary in the early 1970s, the Lake Placid School was the place of learning for students from Kindergarten through 12th grade. The building was later opened as SFSC’s Lake Placid Center in December 1984.

In attendance was Dr. Robert Fitzgerald, one of their former high school instructors, a former member of the Highlands County School Board, and a retired professor from SFSC.

“We thoroughly enjoyed retracing our steps from our first grade classroom right up to our senior year class taught by Dr. Robert Fitzgerald,” Claire said. “Everyone was just delighted to have Dr. Robert Fitzgerald join us in the classroom where he taught us as his first students when he began teaching in the 1962-63 school year.”

The highlight of their reunion was visiting the gym where they used to play basketball, perform class plays, and hold school assemblies.

“What a special day it was to return to our old school building and walk the halls together once again,” Claire said. “Although there have been many changes, it still felt a lot like home”